In Memoriam
by Valkyrie Elysia
Summary: A visit to a grave brings remembrance of the past and looks toward the future. May be a prequel, read Author's Note for details.


**V.E.: Well this is the first time I've done a one shot about the next generation that I've been working on. It could be perhaps seen as a prequel to a story on a next generation story I **_**might**_** write. For some reason, this kind of just came to me. I will try to update BEC after this, but the chapter is kind of difficult to work with.**

**Please read.**

* * *

Adam Muto's first clear memory was of his father crying.

Though he was often told that he was too young to remember the funeral and it was true he didn't recollect it very clearly, he vaguely remembered the group of black attired mourners and the umbrellas they carried. He remembered the sound of rushing rain and the muffled sobs of his mother and some of his parents' friends.

What he remembered most about the ceremony was his father looking at the descending coffin with such a devastated look on his face, but no tears.

He remembered feeling puzzled, but then again he was too young to understand why all the grown-ups were sad. He was almost two at the time.

After the funeral, Adam went home with his mom while his father had stayed for a chat with Mr. Kaiba, Candace's dad. He doesn't remember much of what happened when they got home; probably snack followed by a nap just like every day was for him back then.

He wasn't awake for when his father got home. His mother told him later that his father went straight upstairs and locked the door. She kept knocking on the door, asking to be let in; but his father wouldn't this time. Finally, she just gave up for the time being.

Late that night however, for whatever reason that Adam couldn't remember, he had gotten out of his crib and was wandering the hallways. He had come to the door that he would later learn was his father's bedroom from childhood(since his parents lived in the same house his father grew up in with Grandma Muto).

The door was cracked open slightly, the moonlight coming through. His young curiosity became evident as he pushed the door open to find a site that would have stopped anyone else.

His father's eyes were bloodshot as he looked down at what Adam would later recognize as Duel Monster cards. The tears rolled down in rivers as his father didn't even notice Adam coming in.

He toddled over to his father and placed his small hand on one of his father's legs. That caused his father to realize he was not alone in his room.

The tone of his voice was strange as he addressed his son.

"Adam..? What…?"

Being the child that he was, Adam had climbed onto his father and spoke in a tone only a child could pull off.

"No more sad Dada. No more sad."

It was the first time he ever said a sentence(an incorrect one, but that wasn't the point). Adam had no idea what the words he was saying meant to his father. He didn't remember or know how sick his great grandfather had been, the constant hospital trips his father had to go through, the emotions that raged in his father's heart as the man he looked up to slowly and painfully faded away.

But it certainly came home for his father as his eyes sprouted new tears and gave a small strained smile. His voice shaky.

"Yes Adam. No more sad. No more sad."

At that, he wrapped his arms around Adam and brought him close to his chest, hugging as if never wishing to let him go. The strangled sobs burst out, shaking his body as he held Adam still.

It wouldn't occur to him until later what it really meant for his father to lose his grandfather. The one person who had been there for him, the person he looked to as more of a father than a grandfather, was gone. And now he had to deal with the whole in his chest that had gone with him.

There were many other memories that Adam would associate with his father Yugi Muto, the King of Games: teaching him how to play duel monsters and other games, the fantastic bedtime stories he would tell him as a child, the museum trips especially to the Ancient Egyptian section.

But this was the first clear memory that stayed with him. Perhaps it was because it showed that even the best duelist in the world had to cry sometimes.

* * *

With this memory, came a recurring memories and a ritual. After that, every year that he was able to, his father would make the trip to his father's grave. It was something Adam had known without ever being told what his father was doing. Sometimes his mother would accompany him along with Caleb's dad and Josh's dad.

On the years his father would be absent on archaeological business, his grandma would go to the gravesite to clean the grave and get flowers.

But Adam had never returned to the place where his great grandfather was buried.

Until today.

He stood downstairs, his purple jacket on and ready to go as he just put on his shoes. Then he waited.

His father came down from upstairs, a surprised expression on his face as he saw his son was downstairs. He carried a small bag, with tamagoyaki(Solomon Muto's favorite food) and incense to offer at the small shrine. Adam knew those things were in there since they had always been what his father took with him.

"Adam, what are you doing up this early? Today is Saturday, right?"

Adam nodded his head, almost unsure of what he was going to say.

"I know, I know what day it is. That's why I'm up. I just….wanted to go with you."

That surprised his father, as noted by his eyes that went wide by the words. For a moment there was silence between the two. Adam felt really nervous all of a sudden. What if his father said no?

But his fears soon proved to be false as his father gave a small smile and nodded his head.

"Alright. Come on then."

* * *

The bus trip to the cemetery had passed in relative silence between him and his father. Though normally rather talkative with his father, Adam appreciated in silence this moment. Between his father's trips and dueling status, there were few times these days that Adam got to spend alone with his father.

Arriving at the cemetery had almost been quiet as the father and son traveled through the graveyard, passing other graves, his father doing this be heart while Adam simply followed behind.

Finally they came to their object. Though written in Japanese that was illegible to any English person, it was clear and simple for Adam.

_Solomon Muto. Beloved Father, Husband, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather._

His father smiled with both his face and his amethyst eyes as he touched the cool stone.

"Hi Grandpa."

Adam also nodded.

"Long time no see Great Gramps."

With introductions done, Adam arranged the food at the base of the grave while his father lit the incense. Once these were done, both of them clapped their hands in an almost prayer like fashion for a moment and closed their eyes.

After Adam had one this, he stared at the grave for a couple moments before turning back to his father.

"What was he like? Great Grandpa Solomon, I mean."

His father took a few moments to answer his son's question.

"He was a great man. Growing up in the game shop, my grandfather taught me everything on playing games. He told me that you can't give up so easily, if you go into a duel thinking you're going to lose than you've already lost. I miss him as much as I did when we buried him here. He's one of the two people I hope to see again someday. Though at times he could be a bit silly, he certainly took whatever stupid dangerous thing I was doing pretty well. If I was in his place and it was you in my place, my hair would probably be as gray as his was."

That surprised Adam.

"Stupid? Dangerous? I honestly can't see you doing something like that."

His father chuckled.

"If you get into less than half the trouble I got into in your new school, I'll be happy. Though I would be just as happy if not more if you didn't cause any."

With that, Adam's eyes went wide. The subject he hoped to talk about on the way back, had been brought up here. His eyes lowered to the ground.

"Dad, I…"

His father put his arm on Adam's shoulder and smiled.

"It's alright. It's been hard on you hasn't it? Dealing with the unwanted attention because of me."

Adam fidgeted as he addressed his father's concern.

"That's not it and that isn't your fault Dad. Though I admit the attention is part of it. I'm not ashamed of you Dad and I never could be. I just want people to recognize that I'm me. Not the son of the greatest duelist in the world, just plain Adam."

His father took his son's words in for a moment. Then nodded.

"Very well. But are you sure you're going to be fine on your own?"

Adam smiled in response.

"It isn't like I'll be completely alone. Caleb and Candace are coming along too and Edward said he might be able to come along sometime during the year."

His father smiled.

"It's a good thing they will be there, otherwise I'd really be worried. But don't forget to make some new friends while you're there. And just so you know, if we get a call about porn magazines in your room, you're on your own with your mother."

Adam cringed as he imagined the rage Tea Muto would inflict upon her son if that situation were to ever be brought to her attention.

He shot a dry look at his father.

"Gee, thanks Dad."

His father just chuckled as he glanced at his son before turning back to the grave.

"Do you mind if I get a couple of moments alone?"

Adam stretched as he got ready to do so.

"Alright, I can see you got catching up to do. One last question though."

"Yes?"

"Who's the other person you want to see again?"

That startled his father before he chuckled.

"Let's just say it's someone very important to me. I'll tell you all about him someday."

Adam looked confused at his words before turning to go before being stopped by his father' voice.

"Wait a minute."

He turned to find his father had gotten out his duel deck, going through it searchingly. Finally he paused, he handed the card out to his son.

"Here."

Adam looked down and saw one of his dad's monsters, a furry brown puff ball.

"Kuriboh? I can't take this."

His father didn't put it back as he smiled.

"Please, I'd just feel safer if you had Kuriboh with you."

Adam felt himself almost roll at his father's request. There was always a small whisper in the back of his mind that his father was maybe a little bit crazy. Then again compared to his friends' parents' quirks, his father was actually somewhat normal.

Like Candace Kaiba's father had an anti-Ancient Egyptian sentiment that was so strong that it extended to what his children did. Once in grade school, the class was supposed to go on a trip to the museum for an Ancient Egyptian exhibit. Needless to say it didn't go over well. Candace put on a brave face and said she didn't mind not going, but Adam knew she was really disappointed and had been looking forward to going.

"Alright, fine."

With that Adam too the little brown fairy, taking out his own duel deck and slipping him in. For a moment he thought he heard a small noise, but easily dismissed it as he listened for it again and didn't hear anything.

He then turned to go, wondering what that was about.

"Okay, see you when you're ready to go Dad."

Yugi Muto smiled as his son walked away. He knew very well his son heard Kuriboh, he just had yet to realize it.

_Well, whether anything comes of it will be his own choice. _

He turned back to the grave and began to spoke as is he was having a conversation.

"Hi Grandpa, I'm sorry I wasn't here last year. You know what archaeological digs are like. Hope you Professor Hawkins are doing well.

"Well, things have been goo mostly. I'm still teaching along with dueling. Joey's plumping job is going well. Since he hasn't sent Tristan to the afterlife with you, you know that him and Serenity are still doing well. Tea's still putting up with me too. Duke is still a game designer, Rebecca's still a genius.

"Oh yeah, did you know that Ryou's book is going to be made into a movie? I keep getting calls from him about how they his messing up his story. If that movie actually gets finished, I'll be surprised."

This prompted a chuckle form the spiky haired man before he continued.

"Out of all of us, Kaiba's the most different. Fatherhood has really changed him. After your funeral, did you know that he gave me the Exodia cards that I was missing when Weevil threw them off the boat on the way to Duelist Kingdom? I was still in shock of losing you, but it really hit a nerve.

"Another thing, remember your Blue Eyes? Well, I don't know what Pegasus did, but it's back to normal! It doesn't feel right hanging onto it really. I think I'll give it to Candace for her next birthday, she's always wanted a Blue Eyes of her own and I feel like I owe it to her somehow.

"What I'm trying to say Grandpa is that all of us are doing well. We're all grown up and now we have to worry about our own kids getting into trouble.

"Speaking of which, you would hardly recognize Adam. Everyone says he looks like both me and Tea, but I think his personality is more like mine. He found your fedora in the attic once and pretended he was the Legendary Gambler I told him about. Tea wasn't that amused. He doesn't know it, but those stories about the Legendary Gambler were about you."

Yugi laughed uneasily as he put his hand behind his head.

"Although I'm not sure whether he really believed me or not. He loves Ancient Egypt and he loves dueling. I'm a little worried about him going to this boarding school though. But I guess it's time to let him grow up.

"Anyway here's to the hope he doesn't get too much trouble. I don't know how you managed to keep so calm back when I still had the Millennium Puzzle. If that happened to Adam, I'd have freaked out."

Yugi smiled one last sad smile at the grave.

"Say hello to Atem for me. And I'll see you next year."

* * *

**Short I suppose. I was mostly guessing on what they would do at the grave based on what I've seen on grave visits in manga.**

**Adam Muto and the rest of the kids have Japanese names, but I didn't put them in the bios or this story since I'm more used to using the Egnlish names.**

**Please review.**


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